Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

Articles

Tesla Model Y Gets an Immersive Sound System Overhaul from Denon and Dirac at CES 2025

Denon and Dirac bring immersive sound to Tesla Model Y at CES 2025

CES 2025 has evolved from the home audio/video show it used to be in the “old days” to a showcase for advanced technology in all walks of life. This year’s show included a strong presence for automotive technology with multiple auto-makers showcasing advanced new infotainment systems. Two brands known for innovation and sound quality in the home entertainment space, Denon and Dirac, teamed up to showcase what’s possible in automotive sound when you apply the right combination of advanced hardware and software.

Using a Tesla Model Y as the platform, the companies built a prototype sound system which combined some of the stock Tesla speakers and amplification with custom speaker drivers and Dirac surround sound processing to create an impressive and fully immersive sonic experience. The system can even be integrated with Denon’s Adaptive Acoustic Technology (AAT) which allows each passenger to create a personal audio profile customized to his or her specific hearing.

20250109_114015-denon-splash-screen

We gave the system a listen and found that it offered cabin-filling immersive surround sound, thanks to Dirac’s spatial surround processing and custom transducers from Tymphany as well as Sonified by Trèves exciters in the headrests and headliner to enhance the height and spatiality of the image. These companies are all part of the Audio Foundry – a technology collaborative which “empowers members to bring disruptive ideas to life in automotive audio and acoustics.”

The system’s bass response was full without being boomy or overbearing. Details in the music were clear and articulate. Compared to the basic “immersive sound” effect in the stock Tesla audio system (with which I am very familiar), the Denon/Dirac immersive effect offered a huge improvement in clarity.

20250109_115405-Denon-side-pillar-speaker-Tesla-Model-Y
Denon side pillar speaker in the Tesla Model Y at CES 2025.

Rather than demonstrate Dolby Atmos-encoded music tracks, the Dirac/Denon team chose to highlight Dirac’s immersive surround upconversion technology which creates spatial sound from standard two-channel (stereo) music tracks. The development team said the system can also easily accommodate Dolby Atmos decoding for any automotive clients who choose to deploy their technology.

“Dirac and Denon share the same commitment to pioneer the future of audio across all product categories and listening environments,” said Dirac Vice President of Automotive Hendrik Hermann. “At CES 2025, we are debuting and demonstrating the Denon Car Audio Concept System that features Dirac’s sound optimization and spatialization technologies that establish a new benchmark in immersive, spatialized audio performance in the vehicle environment.”

Previous collaborations between the two brands include both home A/V and headphone projects. In home theater, Dirac’s best-in-breed room correction technology is offered as an option in Denon receivers such as the AVR-X3800H, to optimize the sound of a home theater system for the owner’s specific listening room. Dirac Live room correction uses a professional microphone to measure the speakers’ frequency and impulse response in the listening room and adjusts each speaker’s output in both amplitude and phase to optimize the system’s sound. Dirac room correction can be quite effective at overcoming deficiencies in a room’s acoustics without requiring unsightly or expensive acoustic treatments.

The two companies also collaborated on the design of the Denon PerL earbuds. These in-ear ‘phones feature Dirac Virtuo spatial audio technology to enhance the reproduction of multi-channel immersive surround sound from a standard pair of earphones. They also include the afore-mentioned “AAT” (Adaptive Acoustic Technology), which provide the option to measure your hearing response and save it to a user profile. Denon automotive reps at CES told us it would be easy to add AAT to any production implementation of the system, which would allow each passenger to hear a custom sound mix.

Featuring a total of 22 speakers and exciters, the Dirac-optimized and Dolby Atmos-enabled system installed in the Tesla Model Y included multiple height and headrest channels to create an immersive experience in a car cabin that rivals Denon’s home audio systems. Speaking to the challenge of optimizing immersive sound within the small confines of an automotive cabin, Hermann said, “Vehicle speakers can often interfere with each other to cause distortion and reduce audio clarity – and systems with more speakers create greater interference. A car cabin’s shape and materials can also lead to unwanted sound coloration, resulting in muddy, booming sound that makes it difficult to discern where sound is coming from.”

20250109_115441-Denon-Dirac-Tesla-Audio-Systems-900px
Denon and Dirac’s prototype audio system in the Tesla Model Y allowed passengers to adjust the level of immersiveness and focus individually for each seat.

With Dirac’s extensive experience with room correction, it’s a natural progression for the company to address similar challenges in the automotive space, enabling all the speakers in a car to work intelligently together and cooperate on each other’s impulse response. The Dirac processing removes the unwanted effects of cabin acoustics and creates ideal loudspeaker responses for maximum fidelity and optimized bass performance.

As for immersive surround, Dirac’s upmixing technology enables spatial audio experiences from regular two-channel stereo sources, without coloring the sound.
At CES, we were able to adjust the level of immersiveness to suit our tastes, with a different mix available in each seat and the ability to save custom settings as presets for future rides.

Advertisement. Scroll to continue reading.

The Bottom Line

The Denon/Dirac immersive audio system shown at CES 2025 was a prototype intended to provide a proof of concept to potential automotive brand clients at CES. It addresses major issues in complex automotive systems by ensuring that all elements of the cabin and audio system work together for coherent and immersive sound that can be tailored for each passenger. From what we heard, the system has great potential so we hope to see it in a production vehicle in the near future.

More information:

Best in Show at CES 2025



1 Comment

1 Comment

  1. David J Crandon

    January 26, 2025 at 11:19 pm

    Denon and Dirac, get your stuff together by finally offering us ART. You promised it 2 years ago and you have yet to deliver. Many of us have spent hundreds and hundreds of dollars on your other Dirac products because we have to get them for ART to work. Still waiting after 2 years. Pissed off

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Advertisement

New Products

V-MODA M10 and M100 Pro DJ Headphones

New Products

Not all headphones are designed for all listening needs. The V-MODA M-100 PRO and M-10 are affordable headphones that provide the quality and durability...

Bluesound POWERNODE 2025 Streaming Amplifier Lifestyle White Bluesound POWERNODE 2025 Streaming Amplifier Lifestyle White

Digital Music Systems

With upgraded DirectDigital amplification, Bluesound's new POWERNODE is a 2 or 3-channel streaming amplifier with support for a center channel speaker and even a...

Cambridge Audio Evo 150 SE Streaming Amplifier Cambridge Audio Evo 150 SE Streaming Amplifier

Digital Music Systems

The Cambridge Audio Evo 150 SE ($3,299) refines a proven streaming amplifier with better sound and features, making it a top contender under $5,000.

Cambridge Audio Melomania A100 Wireless Earbuds White Lifestyle Cambridge Audio Melomania A100 Wireless Earbuds White Lifestyle

Earbuds & In-Ear Headphones

The Cambridge Audio Melomania A100 delivers hi-fi sound, advanced ANC, and top-tier codecs like LDAC for $149—challenging AirPods Pro 2 and SoundPEATS with premium...

OXS Storm A2 Gaming Headphones Lifestyle OXS Storm A2 Gaming Headphones Lifestyle

New Products

OXS Storm A2 delivers budget-friendly wireless gaming headphones with 7.1 virtual surround, hybrid active noise cancellation, ultra-low latency, and versatile cross-platform support.

STAX SR-007S Electrostatic Headphones STAX SR-007S Electrostatic Headphones

New Products

At $2,200, the STAX SR-007S isn’t for the budget-minded, but they provide celebrated Electrostatic Technology for those looking for the optimum headphone listening experience.

Advertisement

You May Also Like

New Products

Are you one of those people who hates having to install a phono cartridge? The Waiting for Ideas PP-1 might be exactly what you're...

Ask an Expert

Just like Sonos, HEOS enables multiroom music streaming, but with higher quality audio and more device choices. Here's what it is and how to...

HDTV 4K & 8K TV

After a long absence from the US TV market, this Japanese tech giant is making a comeback.

Bookshelf Speakers

At $2,500/pair, the Monitor Audio Studio 89 bookshelf speaker combines inspiration from the past with flagship Hyphn technology.

Reviews

At a more affordable entry point than the company's current BRAVIA Theater Bar 8 and 9 soundbars, this new option is a hybrid of...

Headphone Amps

Suzi by Chord Electronics delivers compact, modular high-end audio with a built-in phono stage, ULTIMA tech, and flexible DAC/streaming integration.

Reviews

Denon’s $599 DL-A110 cartridge: same legendary DL-103 guts, fancy headshell, and enough detail to make overpriced MCs look like a midlife crisis.

DAPs

At $2,999, Astell&Kerns's A&Ultima SP3000T DAP offers a triple amp system with tubes that are easy to get used to.

Advertisement

ecoustics is a hi-fi and music magazine offering product reviews, podcasts, news and advice for aspiring audiophiles, home theater enthusiasts and headphone hipsters. Read more

Copyright © 1999-2024 ecoustics | Disclaimer: We may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site.



SVS Bluesound PSB Speakers NAD Cambridge Audio Q Acoustics Denon Marantz Focal Naim Audio RSL Speakers